Birmingham City arrive at Ewood Park with two players in their ranks well known to Tony Mowbray.

The Rovers boss signed 10-goal Lukas Jutkiewicz for Middlesbrough in 2012, while Connor Mahoney worked under Mowbray in the second half of Rovers’ 2016/17 relegation season.

Both are expected to be part of the Blues’ attacking ranks tomorrow in what will be a first Ewood return for Mahoney since leaving in 2017.

The 21-year-old is in to his second loan spell away from parent club Bournemouth, where he joined from Rovers for a fee set by a tribunal after running down his contract.

Mowbray made no secret of his desire to keep Mahoney at Rovers, but he felt the player’s future had already been decided before his arrival in February 2017.

“Connor Mahoney has become a regular for them and we know ourselves Connor can be a threat on his day and we’ll have to try and keep him quiet,” Mowbray said of Mahoney who played 11 of his 15 matches in charge that season.

“He was a talented player when we had him and I would loved to have kept him. I think before I got here they had made their mind-up that they were going to move on.

“He’s talented. He is left footed but can play on the right so can jink and cross, go down the outside or cut back inside and shoot on his left foot.

“He’s difficult to handle, he’s a positive footballer, a positive mentality and we have to be mindful of what he can do.”

Mowbray signed Jutkiewicz, who scored in the corresponding fixture in January 2017, for Boro from Coventry in 2012.

Of the striker, who has 10 goals in 21 Championship games, he added: “Jutkiewicz I signed for Middlesbrough a few years ago now, he’s a physical centre forward and our defenders will know they’ve been in a game against him.

“The stats are showing he’s had more touches in the opposition box than any player in the league.

“He’s right up there for efforts on goal and as a central defender you know he’s always there.

“He’s a really honest, hardworking kid and I’ve told our centre halves to be ready and to expect a tough game because he gives everything he’s got.

“He has a size and stature about him and is a real handful.

“They generally leave two strikers up the pitch so defensively we’ll have to be very wary.”